A/N: First off, I sincerely apologize for such a long wait for this chapter. I've been working on all of my fics whenever I have free time, but like I've said before-real life is getting in the way big time and the constant wretched severe storms where I live haven't helped matters. I will never abandon any of my fics. That is a promise I made long ago to myself and to all of you wonderful readers, and it's a promise that I intend to keep. So, I ask that you please be patient with me. Secondly, I regret that this chapter is so short, but I felt like I had to end it here before all of you had to wait another month or so before an update. Thank you and enjoy.

A/N2: Well, I feel like an idiot now. Thank you to everyone who pointed out my stupid mistake about Cedric. I swear I knew he was a Hufflepuff.

Preparations

After having Disapparated from his past self's rooms and thankful that Hogwarts somehow still recognized him as headmaster even if it had been years from then, Severus reappeared in the dark and deserted Headmaster's office. He briefly glanced at the portraits and found that they were either empty or sleeping, which put him slightly at ease. Calmly walking towards the ornate desk, he drew his wand. Somewhere in this room were the answers he needed. He just had to find them before he was caught.

Severus searched high and low throughout the massive office for the next hour. Standing on the steps of the right curved staircase that led up to the second floor, he plucked Secrets of the Darkest Art from the third bookshelf from the bottom and slipped it into one of his magical expanding robe pockets. He then swept down the stairs towards the desk, his eyes quickly passing over each item atop of it. Not finding what he was looking for there, he frowned and headed towards a large cabinet. Opening the cabinet doors revealed hundreds of various vials in all shapes and sizes. Soft light reflected off the glass and onto his face, as his eyes passed over each vial. He finally found what he was looking for several minutes later and removed a large vial of a clear liquid from the very back of the cabinet, pocketing the vial as well before he moved onto the next location.

At the sudden sound of the moving spiral staircase that led to the study, Severus tensed for a brief second before he quickly hid in the dark alcove behind the desk. His wand easily slipped into his hand, at the ready. When the door then opened, he inhaled silently, his nostrils flaring slightly. An intense surge of pure hatred rushed through his veins instantly. With a tightly clenched jaw, he glared at the white haired wizard, who was calmly walking across the room without a care in the world.

Only three years had passed by in his timeline since he had learned the terrible truth. For years Dumbledore had lied and had hid that all of Severus's hard work and sacrifices over the years weren't so Harry could be safe. No, it was all so Harry could sacrifice himself for the Greater Good in the end. That the boy he had risked his life for—the boy he had been manipulated into caring for all those years—the boy who was his last connection to Lily—the boy who was as much of a victim as Severus himself—all of it—all the pain, all the tears, all the blood, all the stains to his soul, was so that the boy would choose death and sacrifice himself in order to destroy the last Horcrux.

Oh, sure. It was later learned of course, that the boy somehow defeated the odds yet again, but still—Severus had nearly failed in his sworn vow to Lily, which was something he couldn't and wouldn't have been able to live with if the boy had stayed dead. But it wasn't just that there was a chance that all of his sacrifices were for nothing that upset him, even though it was a very big reason for his hatred of Dumbledore now. No, it was how callous Dumbledore was about all of it. As if the boy's survival didn't matter in the slightest, as long as the boy lived long enough to kill the Dark Lord once and for all. As if the stains that Severus had worked so hard to remove from his damaged soul didn't matter, as long as he kept the boy alive until the end. None of that mattered. All that mattered was making sure that the Dark Lord was no longer Dumbledore's highly visible mistake for all to see. For if the Dark Lord was no more, then it'd be harder for anyone to learn the truth—that it had been Albus Dumbledore who had brought the monster to the Wizarding World and set him loose. If it had not been for that meddling bastard, Severus could have lived a much better life than the one he had been dealt. Hell, a lot of people could have lived then.

Familiar faces then flashed behind his eyes. Lily, the beautiful woman he loved whom he had accidentally sentenced to death. Potter—James that was—the arrogant toerag whom he had also killed that night. Black—the arse that he was, who had lived years in exile for a betrayal and crime he hadn't committed. Lupin, the tortured soul who died without a chance to watch his son grow up. Tonks, the spunky witch who always did the right thing. Regulus, the brave coward who tried to right his wrong and died for it. Fred, the young man whose death was senseless and so devastating to all that knew him. So many deaths—so many souls—so much blood—all of it was on Dumbledore's hands. And all of it was hidden by the wizard's charm he had everyone under.

"No!" squealed a voice from the past. "You'll do no more murder at Hogwarts!"

Unable to hold back his anger any longer, Severus slashed his wand sharply in the darkness at the happily distracted man. His spell slammed hard against Dumbledore without warning, sending the man flying back against a bookcase. Books and broken wood then rained down all around the injured white haired wizard as he lay there, unmoving.

Remaining hidden in his hiding spot for a few extra minutes, Severus waited to see what would happen next with the Shield Charm on the tip of his tongue at the ready. He knew he'd only have a half a second to cast it in time if Dumbledore responded. However, at the sound of the older man's low pain filled groan and his bleeding head lolling to the side, Severus advanced like a hunter to his prey. There would be no more victims this time. No more lambs being led to slaughter. It would end now.

Severus flicked his wand at Dumbledore once more, causing thick ropes to encircle the older man instantly and tie him up. Once he was satisfied the known-powerful wizard was properly subdued, he slowly lowered his wand to his side and knelt down in front of a Dumbledore a moment later. He then roughly grabbed the older man's chin and forced him to look upwards. When his cold black eyes met Dumbledore's dull blue, he drew in a slow, calming breath and attacked.

With a nonverbal Legilimens, Severus sent a series of his own memories to Dumbledore's mind, forcing the older wizard to view them. He wanted the man to see the destruction he had caused. He wanted him to feel the heart-wrenching pain he had inflicted upon so many. But above all, he wanted Dumbledore to witness the sacrifices the old fool had said were necessary for the Greater Good.

Cedric Diggory, the tall and handsome Hufflepuff boy with this whole life ahead of him, lay dead on the grass, the boy's father howling wildly above him as spectators in the large arena looked on in sheer horror . . .

Charity Burbage, the outspoken Muggle Studies professor, lay dead atop of a polished table where Death Eaters and the Dark Lord sat impassively as she was devoured by Nagini . . .

Alastor Moody, the always fierce and paranoid Auror, lay dead in a field, his body badly mangled from the fall as a large group of Death Eaters zoomed overhead of him . . .

Dobby, the troublesome free house elf, lay dead in the sand as Harry cried over its tiny body . . .

Fred Weasley, the twin who was always trying to get a laugh, lay dead in a corridor, surrounded by rubble as his brothers screamed his name for the last time . . .

Dora Tonks and Remus Lupin, the unlikely lovers, lay dead side-by-side with one another as more curses flew past without notice of them . . .

Colin Creevey, the annoying young Gryffindor, lay dead upon the blood-stained grounds of Hogwarts, surrounded by so many others . . .

Image after image of even more dead flashed in Dumbledore's mind, the dead's bodies resting wherever they died. It was as if he was forcing Dumbledore to watch a slideshow that was on continuous repeat. Cedric, Charity, Alastor, Dobby, Fred, Dora, Remus, Colin, and all the others just kept flashing. The screams of loved ones filled the air as once more it repeated. He kept this up, sending those images to Dumbledore for several more minutes before he then showed Amos Diggory sobbing over his son's body, the Weasley family openly weeping over Fred, the orphaned Teddy Lupin crying for his dead parents in his grandmother's arms, the devastated Dennis Creevey staring blankly out at nothing as his brother's head rested in his lap.

Harry's face then swirled about the darkness before he appeared as well. The bloodied and bruised young man looked positively alone as he sat far from the relieved and cheering survivors. Harry's glassy green eyes closed before he ran a hand through his messy black hair and then covered his face. His shoulders shook, the silent tears falling from his eyes as he cried. The boy's world had shattered into so many pieces that it was unknown if it could ever be repaired.

An image of Severus himself then appeared. With the woman who would later become his wife sitting by his bedside, he lay on a cot at St. Mungo's with his neck wrapped in thick gauze and his normally white collar soaked with his blood. Darkness then settled in as Severus slowly pulled himself out of Dumbledore's mind.

He blinked once before he stared numbly at Dumbledore. Instantly recognizing the horrified look on the older wizard's tortured face, Severus felt something wash over him. He couldn't describe what emotion it was, but there was a sense of definite finality to it.

"That is what we all gave up for your supposed Greater Good," Severus said harshly, his voice low and rough. "That is what we all sacrificed." He then stood up, taking several steps back from Dumbledore. His hard eyes rested once more on the frail elderly wizard. "You're welcome," he spat before he turned on his heel and Disapparated away.